After Dawn
by Hannah Salmalin
Summary: Pg for swearing. Numy wakes up and ruins my magelets life. And his illegitimate daughters life also...
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

Numair Salmalín walked through the palace in Corus. Deep in thought, he headed towards his room. Because his mind was on serious matters he didn't notice the girl until he had run into her.

Daine fell to the floor

"Oh, I'm sorry Daine," he stuttered and he helped the giggling girl to her feet

"Numy, why are you so deep in thought? What's the matter?" she asked childishly

"I'm sorry sweetling," he murmured and pressed his lips to hers hesitantly.

Daine felt his hesitation and was worried. She wasn't sure why, but she was.

Numair pulled back after a few seconds and said hoarsely "Daine, we need to talk,"

They went to their rooms and sat down on the bed.

"Look, Daine, I've been thinking a lot lately and I've realised that I'm a cradle robber. I am too old for you. I have decided to move out so you can have these rooms.

I am still your teacher and friend but I'm afraid we cannot be lovers. I am so sorry magelet,"

Daine's eyes widened and then she slapped him hard "WHAT?! Get out! I hate you, you prick. You led me on. All you wanted was sex didn't you? You sicken me you bastard," she screamed

Numair got up, shocked, and left the room. Daine locked her door and threw herself on the bed sobbing. She didn't know how long she cried.

After about a week of this, Cloud, who had not been groomed all week, came into her friend's room, with a certain young dragons help.

She didn't say a word but she bit the sobbing girls arm harder than she had ever bitten anything before.

_Get over the stork-man,_ she told her friend _He is not worth it. Get over him and find yourself a new mate_

Daine rubbed her arm and nodded. She wiped her tears and hugged Cloud. Then she went to find Alanna and Onua.

When they saw her they rushed over and hugged her saying how sorry they were. Daine shook her head, shrugging the words and hugs away.

"Alanna, Onua. I need a favour. If you ever see me about to cry over that... man... I want you to slap me. If I ever acknowledge his existence, slap me. Can you do that?"

Alanna and Onua were shocked but, due to the fact that their young friend was so distraught, they agreed.

It was the biggest mistake they ever made, for it destroyed their Daine.

Daine kept that promise for so long. She didn't look at him when he tried to talk to her in the halls.

"_Daine? Diane? Please talk to me. Please look at me?" Numair pleaded. Diane walked on as if nothing was there, though her heart screamed for his loving embrace, his soft touch, his warm caresses._

She didn't cry when she saw him kissing a buxom noble woman.

_She looked down in the courtyard and saw Numair pashing a woman. They broke away and the woman looked up and saw Daine glaring at them, tears threatening to overflow. The woman smiled smugly at the younger. Daine walked away. _

She didn't cry when Alanna told the wildmage that Daine was pregnant to her old lover.

"_Daine you're pregnant. Have you had any lovers other than Numair?"_

_Daine shook her head. It was Numair's child she carried in her stomach. She lurched to Alanna's privy and was sick. She wished it was Numair's strong arms wrapped around her shoulders, instead of Alanna's small ones._

She wanted to, but she wasn't going to give the... _man _the satisfaction of her crying over him.

She nearly cried when she had the baby on her own. The baby was beautiful. It was a replica of Daine but it had different eyes.

_As Alanna passed the baby over to her Daine looked at her daughter and large Bambi brown eyes stared at her. She rested he head the baby's forehead and kissed her daughter gently on the cheek. Then she closed her eyes, to prevent any tears falling out. _

Daine nearly cried. But she wouldn't. She'd never cry. Never.

**This chapter was bad, but I think I improved it from last time. It was dumb and now I've _flattened _myself, (which is not good considering I am in counselling to stop that. Or at least to stop me thinking I am nothing and nobody. It's just the school counsellor, in case any of you were worried (i knew you would be!!!)). **

**The characters don't sound real. It was basically a prologue. But it was still s. Anyhoo, please review and tell me what you think. Oh and if it sounds familiar I got the idea from Topaz wolfs _waking up_. I read it and then I got this story in a dream. It's actually a c storyline but I really want to write it. Very predictable. Oh well. S happens ï **


	2. Chapter 2

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_Chapter 2 _

**_PS_: Ed, i am using this name, just out of spite, so sticks tongue out MUTILATE me later**

Etienne raced through the halls in the palace of Corus. She reached her mothers room, breathless. When she entered she saw her aunt Alanna holding Daine's hand. Tears glazed the Lady Knights eyes eyes. Eti walked closer to the bed, where animals had gathered around her.

Tears started to flow from the 11 year olds eyes. Her Ma was breathing with difficulty and was as white as a ghost.

"Ma?" she whispered, her voice cracking

"I'm sorry Eti," whispered Alanna "There is nothing I can do,"

"Eti," croaked Daine "I love you," she looked into her daughters eyes for the last time and she went unconscious.

Eti, Alanna and Onua, who had come a few minutes after Eti, stayed with Daine in her last few hours. They watched as she lay in her deathbed.

A few hours later Daine's eyes opened slightly she saw Eti's eyes which were identical to Numair's. She didn't see Eti just the eyes and two small tears rolled down her face "Numair," she whispered heart-brokenly. Then she went slack and Alanna could no longer feel a pulse.

"MA!" screamed Eti and she threw her self at the ex-wildmage. She sobbed into her stomach screaming through tears "Ma! Wake up Ma! Ma!"

Onua sobbed into her hands and some of the animals went crazy. Others looked sad and miserable. Alanna got a sheet and covered Daine's face. The cold, dreary room seemed darker and outside the winter blizzard got worse.

Alanna pulled the sobbing child away from her mother and wrapped her arms around her. She cried into the Lionesses shoulder.

"Mamma," she whispered

* * *

Alanna called the now orphaned Eti into her study a few weeks after Daine's funeral. 

The child was a frail little ghost now, having not eaten much since... she couldn't say it. It hurt too much. Goddess, she looked like her ma. Painfully so, in fact. Except for her eyes. They were so different from Daines.

The girl sat on a chair and rubbed her sore red eyes. She was pallid, which didn't suit the girl.

"Eti, there is something I think that you should know," Alanna said gently. This news would definitely come as a shock to her. "You may think that now, because of ..." she couldn't finish that sentence "Anyway, I think you should know that along with all of us in Corus who will support you, you have a father,"

Eti gaped at her "Who?" she managed. Her ma had never mentioned a father so Eti had always assumed he was dead.

"His name is... His name is, Numair Salmalín,"

Eti frowned "Sal-mal-een," she thought over it and then her eyes widened in recognition. "Salmalín? Numair Salmalín? The black robe? He's my da?"

Alanna nodded sombrely "He is. Daine and he used to be lovers but then he... fell out of love with her. He left her but your Ma was pregnant. Numair doesn't even know that you exist. He comes to court so rarely now. I don't want you to do anything rash but I think it's your right to know. I always thought Daine was wrong keeping this from you,"

Eti just sat there in silence; the words 'out of love' kept reverberating in her mind. How could he do that? How could he get a girl pregnant then just leave her? How could he not return Daines love?

"Eti? Eti?" Alanna was calling her

She snapped out of her trance. Her lip trembled and she fled the room. She heard Alanna's shouts but she wouldn't catch her. It's like this new anger had given her super strength. She ran to her room and threw some things in a saddlebag. Then she dashed to the stables where she saddled her feisty mare Vixen.

So, tears streaming down her face, she galloped out of Corus. She was going to find Numair. She was going to find Numair and then she would kill him (A/N: not literally. She _is _gonna get very mad at him though)

**_I shall not update till i get a satifactory number of reveiws (how's 7 more maybe?)_**


	3. Chapter 3

_**After Dawn: Chapter 3**_

**__**

**Sorry about the wait. This chapter is fairly plot less, for it's (re)introducing a special character. **

Numair Salmalín sat back on his chair with a sigh of absolute boredom. He glanced around the dining room: Josefite, his 7-year old daughter, glared at her plate, annoyed that her older brother, Alexondria, got to have the last piece of chocolate cake. They were such super-fecial children. They never agreed on anything. He had never fought with anyone about anything but the welfare of people he loved. His wife, Serine of Kantoá, smiled at him through lowered eyelashes. "Numair, what's the matter?" she said. Her voice was low and drawling; it used to soothe him. Now it only bored him witless.

What he really wanted to say was: _I'm bored. I don't love you. I love Daine and I want her back. Like I have for the past 10 years._ He remained silent, a sullen look on his face. There was a knock on the door and his brother-in-law's squire came in. He walked nervously over to Numair and bowed "Master Salmalín, there is a girl here to see you. She says her name is Etienne and she seems distraught."

Numair nodded and excused himself from his dinner. He left the room, trying to seem casual. If he stayed, all he'd have to look forward to was going to bed. With Serine. He shuddered at the thought. 12 years of marriage had done that to him. He neared the warm cosy parlour and when he did he stopped. A version of Daine when she was about eleven, sat on his chairs.

**This is fairly short so i'll put up another chapter within 3 days if i get 3 reveiws**


	4. Chapter 4

_**After Dawn**_

**_by Hannah Salmalin_**

_**Chapter 4**_

**_I have realised that I haven't thanked all my reviewers: You guys are all fantastic. Are you aware that with all my stories I've had over 70 reviews in 2 weeks!!! I am truly flattered by all this and it's made me quite happy. Oh and I was asked how did Daine die? That shall be explained later on. It was quite hard to write this chapter without saying it. On with the chapter:

* * *

_**

Eti sat in a warm chair in her noble fathers' home. She was cold, covered in mud and slush from the road and above all, she was scared and grieving. A tall dark man entered the room and stopped, gaping at her. She looked at him and recognised him from court. He hadn't ever seen her but she knew of him; he was the former court's head mage. He retired last year, leaving young Thom of Pirate's swoop to be in charge.

She stepped forward and then slapped him across the face. She knew that he could kill her in a second but she really couldn't have cared less. Numair flinched.

"You bastard!" she yelled, hitting him again. Tears ran down her face in angry silent tears "I hate you!!!"

She yelled at him, hitting and punching, until he broke out of his daze and managed to grab her wrists.

"Look here, stop that!! You are a guest in my house. You have no right to hit me or yell." He told her, angry and confused.

"I do have a right! You are my father!!!"

"Who, who are you?" his voice gave away his uncertainty as it held a slight shake; he had known about Daine's pregnancy but he wasn't sure if she had delivered safely and if their child still lived, had it been born at all. All he knew was that she (Daine) was alive and recently living at either a small suite of rooms at the Palace, or Pirate's Swoop.

"Eti, Etienne Veralidainesri. My ma is Daine Sarrasri and YOU Numair Salmalín are my father." She repeated

"What? I'm sorry but this has got to be a mistake. I know no _Daine Sarrasri_ and I have no daughter to anyone but Serine, my _wife_." He said her Ma's name bitterly.

"Would Alanna lie to me? No. And I'm not going to lie to you. Daine, the wild mage of Tortall, passed away three weeks ago."

"What?! Daine is dead?!! No, NO!!!" He sank down to a large chair and buried is head in his large, finely cut hands.

"So you do know Daine? And by the sounds of it you were very emotionally attached to her. _Weren't you?_" she yelled

Numair took a shaky breath. "Yes. I knew her." He whispered finally

Etienne took a proper look at her father; he was well dressed, as all nobles were. He wore a velvet, red wine coloured shirt and black velvet pant that were tucked into black leather boots. The boots had gold filigree inlaid into them. He also wore a thick black robe that appeared plush outside and silken inside. She noticed a gold hoop hanging from one earlobe and a gold band on his ring finger was the only jewellery he wore.

He broke out of his reverie and composed himself. "So she's dead." He was nearly in tears.

"She's dead. And I am alone."

I am sorry."

"Numair, I want to know something. Why did you leave my Ma. She is the most wonderful woman ever and you just 'fell out of love' with her."

"I never have stopped loving you Ma. But our love was wrong. I was 14 years her senior. The court said some ghastly things to her, leaving her broken and grieving each day and night."

'But impregnating her then leaving her with a bastard child meant nothing to you?" Her anger returned in full.

"I didn't realise until it was too late. After I left her, she never so much as looked t me again. Alanna threatened to emasculate me if I went near her again."

"That shouldn't have mattered. If you truly loved her you wuld have changed her mind."

"Do you think I didn't try?"

"Yes. You went off and married some lady, had sex and had children. That is sure to win Daine's heart back."

Numair glared at the silently crying girl. "Alright, how's this. I will return to Corus and hopefully make peace with everyone. In the meantime you may remain here. If you wish you can remain here permanently."

Eti thought about it for a while and then nodded. Numair passed her his handkerchief and she gratefully wiped her eyes.

"Eti? That is you name? I am sorry for all this hardship, but I want to be a father to you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Eti gave him look for look and then nodded. "Try. Just try."

* * *

Sorry this is so short, but it's kinda hard to do this chapter without blurting out how my lil magelet died. SOB SOB. 

Reveiw. Please.


	5. Chapter 5

_**After Dawn**_

**I am SO unbelieveably sorry for the wait. It was really hard to write this and also our internet crashed and we had to wipe our computer (Grrr) I am sorry about this chapter as well. It is really bad and it reflects on a bad mood I was in at the time.Enjoy! **

**Chapter 5:**

Numair rode to Corus quickly. He chose to go to the Riders because that was where Daine worked. Once there, he regretted it immediately. Everyone there knew about him, Eti and Daine; they all seemed to know something he didn't.

Finally he found someone who told him where Daine was buried. It was out, near the undine pool. He had only been there with Daine twice since their first time there. Once before they went to Carthak and another time after they had fought.

His heart ached. He looked at the grave and finally sat in front of it. It was a very plain headstone. It was made of granite and had very little on it:

_Daine Sarrasri  
Wild Mage of Tortall_

Then followed her birth and death years. At first Numair felt slightly put out at how ordinary it was. but then he realised it was his Magelets. She didn't like all the fancy get up. He heard a horse whinny behind him.

He spun, quite an odd contortion in the sitting giant. It was Darkmoon, with Alanna of Trebond sitting atop him. He could see, even ten metres away that her eyes were red from weeping and she looked like someone who had been mourning the girl quite badly. Her black clothes did not help her complexion and her red, shoulder length hair was dull and matted.

"I take it you've met Eti?" she said dully.

"What makes you think that?" he responded, his voice emotionless.

"You haven't been to Corus for nine years and there is no way you could have heard about… her, unless the girl told you. So have you met her?" Her anger with him was crystal clear.

Numair nodded. 'Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't _anyone_ tell me?"

She looked disgusted and dismounted slowly. "Why should we have told you? The child may be yours biologically but you aren't her father. You don't care a whit for her or Daine. You were only interested in the sex. She was innocent and you, and you," She couldn't continue for her anger was getting out of control. She breathed hard. "Do you know how she died, Draper?" She was furious. She only called him that when she hated him. "Do you?"

He shook his head. "No-one will tell me anything. No-one will _talk_ to me."

"I don't blame them, Draper. She died, not by physical means. She should have been healthy. She died, calling out for you. She has not cried a single tear since you left. Not _one_. That is not healthy. But she was sobbing. She was in delirium. She, she didn't die because she was unhealthy. She especially didn't die because she was old. Numair, if there is such thing, she died of a broken heart. She never got over you. She could barely look at Eti. She became a ghost.

"Why did you do that? Why did you leave her? You loved her. Love doesn't end overnight.

"She died of a broken heart Numair. And I hate you for it. You killed her Draper. And nothing can ever change that." Then, she strode up to him and slapped him in the face, harder than anyone had ever done. Then because the lady knight was weeping, she swung up onto Darkmoon and galloped off.

Numair was left, sitting in the snow. Him? He had killed Daine? No, that wasn't possible. Wasn't it? It was highly likely. The few times he had seen Daine before he had left with his wife, she had seemed to be slowly fading away. She was paler, her eyes and hair were dull. She had dark bags and crows feet on her eyes. Her eyes were full of pain and sadness. She had seemed to age ten years in a few months.

"Mithros what have I done?" He put his head in his hands. The heels of his palms dug into his eyes. He felt cold tears on his hands. The icy winter winds raced around him. He slowly curled up in front of the headstone and cried. Numair was in so much pain and swallowed by grief. Numair Salmalín had not cried for a very long time. He was too proud. But here he was, crying as if the world had ended.

He wasn't sure how long he cried, but, when he stopped it was dark and his head pounded. The snow around him had piled higher and he was surprised he didn't have frostbite. He pulled his knees to his chest and whispered "Oh Daine. What have I done? How could I do this to you? I never stopped loving you. Instead, I was selfish and, now you're gone. Mithros, please kill me." He begged.

But he knew Mithros never took lives. Not even when they were threatening the well-being the universe, as Ozorne had done.

Then Numair made a decision.

Slowly, the mage got up. He then began the longest, most trying trek he had ever done. He walked for days, without stopping once. Then he reached the spot. It was the perfect place for him. It was covered in blizzards all winter and was probably the most dangerous place in Tortall. He found the cave quickly. He and Daine had spent a few nights there once, but it had been summer, so the weather was lovely. Now, it was half buried under sleet and snow.

He walked to the back of the cave and sat down.

He went over his thoughts. Did he really want to do this? Yes. He had to punish himself. He had killed Daine. Now it was his turn.

He reached into his belt and grabbed his prized dagger. It was finer than anything Raven Armouries had made. His late father had given it to him as a boy, but Numair had never used it. But, just in case, the blade was polished and sharpened so that it was lethal. It had a ruby pommel and was made of the purest white gold. The blade was made of the finest Yamani steel and would cost a lesser noble a year's income to buy one. Numair had two and they were family heirlooms.

Slowly, Numair rolled back his sleeves, revealing scars from his teenage years. They were all perfectly aligned and parallel. He held the knife firmly and, with a trembling hand, he pressed it firmly to his wrist. He called magic to stop him feeling anything. If the pain was too much, he would stop, and he didn't want that. He pressed it harder and harder until he was sure he had reached an artery. Then he did the same to the other arm. He smiled an insane and smug smile as he watched his blood pour out of his arms. It was almost relaxing. He knew that people looked down on suicide but, they looked down on him anyway.

He then got his magic and put a charm on himself to make his fall asleep. Within a minute Numair Salmalín was asleep, never to wake again.

* * *

Eti sat up in the strange bed, disoriented. Her heart was pounding and sweating was pouring off her, despite the frigid air surrounding the bed. She had never been one to have connections with people, but somehow, in her heart, she knew that Salmalín was dead. Her father was dead. Her father was dead. It echoed in her mind.

Serine wouldn't allow her to stay here anymore. Serine had been less than happy when Numair had insisted that his daughter stay here.

So, lethargically, Eti got up from her bed. She walked over to the large window. It could probably fit her through it, in human form. She glanced over at her saddle bags. She wouldn't need them. She opened the window and climbed onto the window sill. The snow and wind played with the nightdress Master Salmalín had given her, and she would have giggled, had this been ordinary circumstances. But the circumstances weren't ordinary.

She released hold of the window and she fell down. The ground was so far away; she was in a tower. She was about halfway down when her mind took over. Her arms slowly turned into wings, her body grew feathers. She was less than ten feet from the ground when she was fully eagle. She spread her wings and swooped up into the sky. The snow was falling steadily, but it wasn't too windy. It wasn't dangerous to be flying. What could she do now?

She had always wanted to see the Yamani Islands. She could start a new life there.

* * *

Ten Years later: Eti Salmalín died. She was an insane recluse, living in the mountains of the Yamani Islands. The death of her parents had driven her to insanity. She was self sufficient but, she still died of unknown reasons. Soldiers discovered the 21 year old, dead on the floor of her hut, completely alone.

In Tortall: When summer arrived in Tortall, some children were exploring some caves when the discovered the body of a large man. He was later identified as Numair Salmalín and was buried by his beloved.

In Kantoá: Serine re-married. She didn't really care about Numair. Just his money and power. But, Salmalín left her and the children no money, to her great displeasure. He had left it to the riders.

That was the end of the Wildmage and her legacy.

* * *

**Should I end it like that? It was meant to be very different, but…**

**Tell me please. And, as I always sat: NO FLAMES PLEASE!**


End file.
